Sound Transit Link Operations and Maintenance Facility (OMF)

Seattle, Washington

The proposed expansion of the Sound Transit Light Rail system north and east of the current service area will in effect double the Sound Transit light rail vehicle (LRV) fleet over the next 10 years to 180 LRVs. The current operations and maintenance facility (OMF) was only designed to accommodate 100 LRVs.

As a part of a multi-task scope, MDG developed the space needs program (Program of Requirements) for the new OMF. This comprehensive document utilized analysis and evaluation of both Sound Transit data and national LRV facility data to project the space requirements for the new facility.

MDG also participated in a detailed and exhaustive site selection effort to identify potential sites along the proposed system expansion alignment. The site selection utilized data developed during the programming effort and preliminary “test fits” to narrow the field of potential sites.

Once the potential sites were identified, MDG participated in a site master planning charrette. In this charrette, the team developed numerous alternatives for each of the potential sites. These alternatives were reviewed by the Sound Transit staff during daily review meetings. MDG also developed functional building concepts for each alternative to check the functional flow and organization of maintenance activities within each plan. The result of the charrette efforts were viable and functional site master plans and concept building plans for each alternative site.

MDG further supported the entire process by developing high quality graphics and site renderings for each of the potential OMF sites. These graphics will be used in the final project documentation.

Project Highlights

• Development of comparative analysis, based on national standards and Sound Transit data, to establish ratio of site acreage to LRV storage capacity.
• Application of national and Sound Transit data to determine and support number of repair positions.
• Supporting graphics and site selection criteria to aid evaluation of potential sites.